usa! usa! >> thank you! >> thank you. thank you. let me ask you, are you ready to win? and let me ask you again, do you believe in america? >> yeah! >> well, that's why we're all here. i tell you, i can't tell you how

great it is to see such a terrific crowd on this hot day in richmond, virginia. virginia is going to go. we're going to win. now i have a really distinct honor and pleasure today to introduce to you not only just a colleague, but a very, very dear friend. now, i've had the pleasure and honor of knowing paul ryan for over a decade now. and i have had the experience of knowing him when he works and when he works and when he works. because i tell you, he can play a little, but he's a hard worker. this guy when i first met him, we served on the ways and means committee together. this is the committee that's central to trying to get our economy going and get back to work. paul ryan -- paul ryan since he

came to washington was dedicated for the right reasons, for the right cause, not just for himself but for the people he represents to turn this country around and to take america back. now, diana and i have had the pleasure of getting to know his lovely wife, janna who in her own right is an accomplished partner for paul and her beautiful family liza, sam, and charlie. let's give all of them a hand. and, of course we wouldn't be here today with the next vice president if it were not for betty, paul's mom. betty, we love you. so i know that paul is a man of

family. he's a man of faith. and he is a man dedicated for the right reasons, believing in america, believing that we can succeed. now, as mitt romney said last night, we have a ticket. together mitt romney, paul ryan, a ticket that is dedicated to help small businesses. dedicated to helping all of you men and women reliant upon the success of america to put people back to work, to make life work for families across virginia and across america. so please give -- join me in giving my good friend a warm virginia welcome, the next vice president of the united states, paul ryan.

>> thank you very much. thank you, buddy. >> right here behind me. >> oh! how about this guy, huh? man. oh. oh, man. thank you. thank you very much. hey, we love you too, man. how about this guy? huh? man. you not only have one of my closest friends in congress as your congressman. you not only have a principled spirited leader, you have the leader of the house of representatives as your congressman eric cantor. you're very blessed.

virginians are blessed. you have this great governor, bob mcdonnell. you have this great attorney general, ken kucinelli. you have a great lieutenant governor, bill boeing. and you're going get this great senator back, george allen. aren't you. this is the first rally that we're kicking off after tampa. 67 days ago we wanted to come here to richmond. now, i bring greetings on behalf of mitt. because mitt, right now, is in louisiana meeting with victims of the hurricane, bringing attention to those that are in isaac's path so we can make sure people send their prayers and dollars to the red cross and their charities because there are people there who need our help.

how about last night, huh? did mitt romney not show us the direction of the country? i don't want to boar you by saying the same thing over again, but it bears repeating. if we stay on the same path, we'll get more of the same results. look at where president obama has taken our economy. 23 million people struggling to find jobs. the poverty rate in america is the highest it's been in a generation. half of all of our college graduates are either unemployed or aren't even working in the field they studied for. the president has put us on a path of decline, of debt, a nation in doubt. here's the good news -- we can fix this by electing mitt romney the next president of the united states.

now president obama clearly came into office during troubling times. he likes to remind us of that quite a bit. here's the problem -- he made things much worse. so knowing this, the president can't run on his record. it's a terrible record. so what does he have left? he's going to have to distort, divide, demagogue, talk about fear and anger, anything but what we actually did the last four years because it's a bad track record. now, here's what we are asking you to do -- we want to earn your support. we want to deserve victory. we want to show you if we put the right ideas in place by electing the right leaders,e with can get this country back on track again. we can get people back to work again. we can get the american dream intact again. now, the president was asked

recently looking back these last four years, any mistakes made, any doubts or regrets? he said, yeah, i haven't communicated enough. i need to tell the american people a story. as if that's our problem? he needs to talk more and we need to be better listeners? ladies and gentlemen, our problem is that we have not heard enough words in the white house. the problem is we have not had enough leadership in the white house. these are trying times. we are at the proverbial fork in the road. we've got a choice of two futures. and what you need in a moment like this when our economy is in doubt, when a debt crisis looms on our horizon like it's plaguing europe, when we know without a shadow of a doubt that

our children are going to get a diminished future if we stay in the current path, moments like this, we need -- you need leadership. you need principled leaders. guess what? that's exactly what mitt romney is. you're getting to know this man like the rest of us know him. you're getting to know a decent man, a faithful man, an honorable man. a man who in everything he's done in his life exemplifies leadership. a man of achievement, a man of integrity. take a look at what he did in his private life in private business. and by the way, being successful in business is a good thing, it's not a bad thing. we don't look at success withf envy, we look at it with pride.

we don't resent people's success, we want to emulate people's success. this man started small businesses, this man grew businesses, sports authority, bright horizons, staples, this man turned around struggling businesses with an astounding degree of success in tens of thousands of people got jobs as a result. i'm proud to stand with a man like that. i'm proud to stand with a man who knows that if you have a small business, you did build that business. you know, take a look at what this man did when leadership called. he was in massachusetts running businesses, creating jobs, and the olympics was in trouble. the olympics was plagued with a scandal, corruption, wasteful spending. sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it. someone asked this man to help and take over. he did that. he dropped what he was doing.

he moved for three years to utah. he fixed this. he turned around the united states olympics. we're all the better for it and we're proud of that moment. look at the difference in leadership and results between president obama as president and mitt romney as the governor of massachusetts. under president obama, the credit ratings of the united states of america has been downgraded for the first time in our history. as governor of massachusetts, mitt romney saw that the credit rating of his state was upgraded. families in america over the last four years, have lost an average of $4,000 in family income. under mitt romney of massachusetts, it went up $5,000 over four years. your remember when president obama used to talk about we don't have red states or blue

states, we're just the united states of america. remember he said we'll set aside childish things and work together? eric -- this is the most partisan president, the most partisan atmosphere we have ever dealt with. nothing's getting done because of the partisanship. when mitt romney was the governor of massachusetts, 87% of the legislators in the government of massachusetts were democrats. what did he do? he didn't demonize. he didn't demagogue. he worked with people. he treated people with respect. and he balanced the budget without raising taxes. that's leadership. that's know cushion on results. the historians say there are four essential qualities that make for a great leader.

four essential qualities that history proves are the kinds of people you need to meet these moments in history, a person with a bedrock of principles. a person with a moral compass, a person with the vision of the country, and the person who has the experience and the leadership skills to execute that vision. friends, that is mitt romney in a nutshell. now, we're not just going to go to you and say vote against the other guy because he's no good. we could do that because the record is no good. but we want to do more than that. you deserve more than that. we're offering solutions, specific ideas. we're saying here's how you take these principles that built america -- liberty, freedom, free interprize, self-determination. government by consent of the governed. by the way, the government works

for us, not the other way around. and for all people who should understand that, it's the virginians, it's the virginians who gave us this doctrine. mitt romney and i have a five-point plan for a stronger middle class, for more jobs, for higher take home pay for more economic growth, prosperity, more opportunity. virginia, number one r, of all people who understand this, it's in virginia, it's in coal country. that is,e we have a lot of energy in this country, let's use the energy in this country. coal, gas, oil, all of the above. as i mentioned, there's so many people who are in between jobs. so many people who lost jobs. we need skills. they need a good vibrant education system to get back on their feet and get the skills to

get the jobs of the 21st century. that's important. we have to remember that in america, with most of the world's population and other countries, we need to grow more things here and make more things here and sell them overseas. we have good jobs. that means we have to have good trade so that people treat us fairly and we can sell our products overseas. one thing that eric kantor and i had been working on a lot. we wish we had partners in the senate and in the white house, but clearly we haven't. that is this -- we have got to stop spending money we just don't have. we have got to cut spending. this is mortgaging our children's future. the senate hasn't passed a budget in three years. it's a disgrace, it's not responsible. president obama gave us four budgets with $1 trillion deficits every year and no solution to ensure we can guarantee medicare, no solution that can guarantee that the promises ma ed to our seniors are kept. no solution to guarantee our

children inherit a debt-free nation. we will provide the leadership to guarantee that that happens. let's never forget in virginia, in wisconsin, in all of the states across the country, the engine of economic growth where most of our jobs come from are from the men and women who start and run and create small businesses. that's where jobs come from.

this is more than just that, though. this is more than just recognizing the fine man that mitt romney is.

this is more than recognizing that we're on a very dangerous path. this is about determining the kind of country we're going to have for a long, long time. this is about determining the kind of people we will be for not just four years, but for four generations. this is that kind of election. it doesn't matter how old you are or what generation you come from. this is the most important generation in your lifetime. it's the most important election in your lifetime, excuse me. and it really comes down to who are we? what are we all about? and if you had to put it in a nutshell and of all places virginians know this, because a virgin virginian wrote this -- america is not just a place, it's an idea. it's the only country founded on an idea.

and that great virginian, thomas jefferson said it better than anybody else could have ever said. and president obama needs reminding of this sometimes. our rights -- they come from nature and god and not from government. that's who we are. that's the american idea. that's what this is all about. >> usa! usa! usa! >> that is the meaning and definition of the american idea. and if we get that, then the rest falls in place. here is the commitment that mitt romney and i are making to you, our fellow citizens. we're going to give you the choice. you're going to decide what you want this country to be. we owe you this. and when we earn and deserve

victory, then we have the moral authority and the mandate to make it right and get this country back on the right track. we will not duck the tough issues and kick the can down the road. we will lead. with partners like this in congress and new leaders, we will not spend four years blaming other people. we will take responsibility. and we will not try to transform this country into something it was never intended to be. this country was create bid our founders and secured every generation by our veterans and we thank them. that means we will not replace

our founding principles, we will reapply our founding principles. we can do this. together we can do this. we can get the country back on the right track. we can get people working again. we're going to bring real leadership back to the white house and with your help, virginia, it's really important, we can get this done. with your help, we can get this done. thank you very much, everybody. thank you very much and god bless all of you. thank you very much. >> how about this guy right here. bob mcdonnell. all right, thank you, everybody. >> our road to the white house coverage continues today when republican presidential candidate mitt romney speaks at a rally in cincinnati. that's scheduled to begin at 10:50 a.m. eastern. you can see it here on c spahn. president obama announced a

new executive order aimed at improving mental health services for members of the military. he was speaking to troops stationed in ft. bliss in texas. the president met in private with a group of service members and their family. ft. bliss is the site where the president announced the end of the iraq war two years ago. this is just over 35 minutes. >> hello, cleveland. what up! thank you so much, everybody! thanks for the introduction and your leadership. leading our troops in iraq and taking care of our soldiers now that they are at home.

and right at the top, let me say that our hearts are obviously with all of the folks that were down in louisiana and the gulf coast dealing with the aftermath of hurricane isaac, our prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and i've directed the federal government to keep doing everything that it can to help our partners at the state and local level. as a country, we stand united with our fellow americans in the hour of need. i want to thank your general and the great commanders welcoming me here today. i want to give a shout out to the sergeant major of the army, ray chandler. command sergeant major robert

kelly. it reminds me that the noncommissioned officers are the backbone of our military, leading the finest in the world. it is great to be back at ft. bliss, home to the army, air, and missile defense command swift and sure. we've got a guard and reserve here home to the legendary division old ironside. got a lot of brigades here, including the iron eagle, the iron brigade. bulldogs, and ready first. and i also want to salute lucille patard and alex kelly and all of the extraordinary

spouses and military families who are here. give them a big round of applause. [ applause ] i know that all of you are grateful for the incredible support you received from your civilian neighbors. so i want to acknowledge two champions of ft. bliss. we have congressman sylvester reyes. we've got mayor john cook. we've got all of the great folks in el paso and new mexico. give them a big round of applause. i'll come back to bliss for a simple reason. two years ago, i was here to mark a short moment in the life of our nation and our military. the end of major combat operations in iraq. it was a chance for me to say on behalf of the american people, to you, and all who serve there,

welcome home. and congratulations on a job well done. and every major play of that war, you were there, the iron soldiers. because of your speed and strength, american troops toppled a dictator in less than a month. because of your commitment, you stayed on extended tours and went back tour-after-tour, year-after-year. because of your determination to succeed, you turn back an insurgency. you stood firm against second strife, you helped to back the offense and you trained iraqis to take the lead. that was the progress you made possible. with your service and your courage. two years ago, i was able to mark the end of the combat mission. and that night i told the

american people that all of our troops would be out of iraq by the end of the flowing year. at the time, i know some folks didn't believe me. they were skeptical. some thought the end of combat was just war games and semantics. but i meant what i said. so you kept training up those iraqi forces. we removed nearly 150,000 troops, and this past december, under general austin's leadership, the last american troops came home, including the fourth brigade combat team from bliss. you left iraq with honor, your mission complete, your head held high. after nearly nine year, our war in iraq was over. and today iraq has a chance to forge its own destiny and no american troops are fighting and

dying in iraq. on this anniversary, we honor the memory of all who gave their lives there. nearly 4500 american patriots, including 198 fallen heroes from ft. bliss in the first armored division. and we salute all who serve there. when i was here two years ago, i told you something else, we had work to do, including taking the fight to al qaeda. and there, too, i meant what i said. with allies and partners, we've taken out more top al qaeda terrorists than at any time since 9/11. thanks to the courage of our forces, al qaeda is on the road to defeat and bin laden will never again threaten the united states of america. [ applause ]

two years ago, i told you we'd keep up the fight in afghanistan. i know some of you recently got back. on what have of a grateful nation, welcome home. some of your buddies are in afghanistan right now. and our thoughts and prayers are with all of the troops from bliss and around the world, including afghanistan, the war eagles, the high landers. and i know that some of you will be deploying later this year. i got to tell you, this is still a very tough fight. you know this. you carry in your hearts the memory of comrades who made that ultimate sacrifice, including six heroes from bliss who gave their lives on that awful day last month. i just had the opportunity to

meet with some of our gold star families. our message to them is this -- your loved ones live on in the soul of our nation and we will honor them always because of their sacrifice, because of your service, we pushed the taliban back. we're training afghan forces. the transition through afghan lead sundays way. as promised, more than 30,000 of our troops would have come home by next month. just as in iraq, we're going to end this war responsibly. in 2014, the transition will be complete. even as this war ends, we will stay vigilant so afghanistan is never again a source for attack against america. never again.

we're not just ending these wars, we're doing it in a way that keeps america safe and makes america stronger. that includes our military. think about it, just four years ago, there were some 180,000 american troops in iraq and afghanistan. by next month, we would have cut that number by nearly 2/3. so most of our troops have come home. and as more afghans step up, more of our troops will come home. and what does that mean for you? well after ten years of continuous operations, it means fewer deployment, it means more time for training, it means more time to improve readiness, more time to prepare for the future. and it means more time on the home front with your families, your spouses and your kids.

so make no mistakes, ending the wars responsibly makes us safer and it makes our military even stronger. and ending these wars is letting us do something else -- restore american leadership. if you were anyone trying to say that america is in decline and that our influence is lame -- don't you believe it. here's the truth -- our alliances have never been stronger. we're leading on behalf of freedom, including standing with the people of libya that are finally free from muammar gadhafi. around the world, there's a new attitude toward america. new confidence in our leadership. when people are asked, which country do you admire most? one nation always comes out on top. the united states of america. [ applause ]

and that's the progress that we've made thanks to your incredible service. we're winding down a war, we're destroying terrorist networks that attack us. and we restored american leadership. and today, every american can be proud that the united states is safer, the united states is stronger, and the united states is more respected in the world. now, when i was here last, i made you a pledge. i said that as president, i will insist that america serves you and your families as well as you have served us. and there, again, i meant what i said because part of ending wars responsibly is caring for those who fought in it. that's why i wanted to come back to bliss on this anniversary to reaffirm our solemn obligations to you and your families. you see, we may be turning a

page on a decade of war, but america's responsibilities to you have only just begun. hey! i hear you. so, here's my pledge to you -- in a world of serious threats, i will never hesitate to use force to defend the united states and our interests. at the same time, i will only send you into harm's way when it's absolutely necessary. and when we do, we will give you the equipment and the clear mission and the smart strategy and the support back home that you need to get the job done. we owe you that. [ applause ] with the end of the wars, our military will be leaner but we'll keep making historic investments to keep you the absolute best military in the world, bar none.

the united states will always maintain our military superiority. and in you, we have the best trained, best led, best equipped military in human history and as commander in chief, i'm going to keep it that way. by the way, you've been hearing some folks out there trying to talk about the budget and trying to scare you. last year, you know, congress pledged to find a plan to reduce the deficit. and they said if they couldn't agree, there would be big cuts across the board, including defense. but understand nobody wants these cuts. that's why congress threatened them, to force themselves to make our decisions. well, here's the thing -- there's no reason those cuts should happen. because folks in congress ought to come together and agree on a responsible plan that reduces the deficit and keeps our

military strong. that's what needs to happen. that's what you and your families deserve and that's how we're going to keep america safe and strong and grow our economy all at the same time. that's a pledge that we need to make to you. just as we give you the best equipment and technology on the battlefield, we ought to give you the best support and care when we come home. we just had a roundtable with some soldiers and their families talk ugh about how coming home can be its own struggle, especially for our wounded warriors, so we poured tremendous resources into this effort, unprecedented support for our troops with traumatic brain injury, for our troops and veterans with ptsd -- more counselors, more clinician, more

care, more treatment. i know you've been a leadership making it clear everyone has a responsibility to help a comrade who's hurting. so today we're taking another step. i signed a new executive order to give our troops, our veterans, and our families better access to mental health care. we're going to increase the number of folks manning those crisis hotlines so help is there when you need it most. we're going to add more counselors and mental health providers. we're launching a new awareness campaign starting tomorrow. and i'm directing a new task force to find out what works best so we're doing everything we can to help those in need and save lives. i know that you join me in saying to everyone who's ever worn the uniform -- if you're

hurting, it's not a sign of weakness to seek help, it's a sign of strength. we're -- we are here to help you stay strong, army strong. that's -- that's the commitment i'm making to you. we're going to keep taking care of our remarkable military families too. this is something i care deeply about, but even if i didn't, i would have no choice because michelle would tell me what to do. along with michelle and dr. joe biden, they have done everything they can to get civilians involved in this process, not just our government. so today more people all across america are joining forces to give the military families the respect and support they deserve. that's especially important right now. now this may be a political

season and folks may be arguing about all sorts of things, but one thing that we americans are united son our support for you. only 1% of americans may wear the uniforms, but 100% of americans need to be supporting you and your families, 100%. and so this brings me to the final pledge i made here at bliss two years ago. when you take off that uniform, we're going to help you fully participate in our economy. so every single one of you has defended the american dream for the rest of us, and every single one of you deserves the chance to live the american dream yourselves. that includes jobs worthy of your incredible talents. by the way, it's not just good for you, it's good for the country because after a decade of war, the nation we need to be

rebuilding is the united states of america. all of you has the skills that america needs. we're upping our game in every stage of your careers. we've overhauled the transportation assistant program, kind of a reverse boot camp as you leave service to help you find a job pushings sue that degree, or start that business. hopefully this is one boot camp you actually like. by the way, we're cracking down on the schools that have been trying to take your money then rip you off by not giving you the education you paid for. that needs to stop. we're going to bring an end to that.

we're going to keep hiring our newest veterans in the federal government and in communities as police officers and firefighters and first responders. because we have tax credits, more businesses can hire our veterans and wounded warriors. we make it easier for you to transfer your outstanding military skills to the licenses and credentials you need to get that civilian job. if you've been a medic in theater, you shouldn't have to start at nursing 101 if you decide you want to go to the medical profession here in the united states. if you've been a mechanic on a multimillion dollar piece of equipment, you shouldn't have to come back and start all over again to work on a car here in the united states. last year i hired the private

sector to hire or train 100,000 military spouses. patriotic companies across america have actually exceeded that goal ahead of schedule with 125,000 jobs. but we've still got more work to do. so, today i'm again calling on congress to act. they've got some work they need to do. pass the veteran's jobs corps so we can put more vets on rebuilding america, extend tax credits to businesses who hire our veterans. i say to every company in america, if you want somebody who knows how to get the job done, if you want somebody who's going to make you crowd just like they made america proud, then hire a vet. hire a vet. because after fighting for america, you shouldn't have to

fight for a job in america. these are america's commitments. to you and all who serve. because we need to be there for you just like you were there for us. not just this year or next, but for all of the years to come. that's the lesson of a soldier i had the honor to meet the last time i was in afghanistan visiting some of our wounded warriors in the hospital. sergeant chase peg is 22 years old. this past spring, he was with his team when their vehicle got hit by an ied the day that i flew in. so when i arrived at his hospital room, he and his buddies were all in bad shape. he was in bad shape. his leg was broken, back was

fractured, laying there on his bed, under a lot of medication. face swollen, eyes were shut. and at first i -- my attitude was i didn't want to disturb him because i thought he was sleeping. the doctors said, no, i think he can understand what you're saying even if he can't acknowledge it. and i think he'd appreciate knowing that you're by his side. so i leaned in and i told chase how proud i was of him and how proud the country was of him and how we'd be praying for his recovery. and i was turning to leave and then something happened. there was a rustling under his blanket. chase never opened his eyes, couldn't make a sound. but suddenly you saw the blanket lift and his arm came out. and he shook my hand.

a firm army hand shake. i don't think there was a dry eye in that room. then a few months later, i was visiting the wounded warriors of walter reed, i walk around the corner and who's there but chase? he had endured multiple surgeries, he was persevering through physical therapy. but this time, he was on his feet. he was walking again. and he had his dad next to him. and today he's back where every soldier wants to be -- back with his unit. and it made me think, you know, that's just one moment in the life of one american soldier. but it captured the spirit, the resilience, the tenacity, the discipline, the resolve, the

patriotism of all of you. for a decade you have served under the dark cloud of war. you have endured great loss. and good men and women have given their last full measure of devotion. but we americans are strong. and we are resilient. and we have resolve. and now we can see a light, the light of a new day on the horizon. that's because of you. the war in iraq is over. the transition is under way in afghanistan. our troops will keep coming home. and we are keeping our military ready for whatever the future may hold. but know this, bliss, we're moving forward stronger and more confident and knowing that when faced with great trial, we americans do what we always do. we don't just endure. we emerge stronger than we were

before. as we go forward as one nation, if the american people ever need inspiration, they just have to look at bliss. they need only to look at you for in you we see the best that our country has to offer -- the virtues that made america great for more than two centuries and the values that will keep us great for centuries to come. believe that all men are created equal, that we are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. it's the sense of duty that says our freedoms are worth fighting for. and the selflessness that says i don't care who gets the credit but we'll do the job and get it done. the chips are down knowing the person next to you has your back and you have theirs. the strength you call from every part of our american family,

every color, creed, background, faith coming together, succeeding together as one american team -- that's who you are, that's who we are. we are americans. we pledge allegiance to the same proud flag. we love this country and all it represents to the rld who, the hope, the opportunity, and we stand united for the support of our troops and our families. we stand together, we work together, and we take care of each other, we remind ourselves there's nothing we can't do. america's greatest days are yet to come, and we remain the greatest course for freedom that the world has ever known. so god bless you. god bless all of our men and women in uniform, and god bless the united states of america. ♪

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next week, watch gavel-to-gavel coverage of the democratic convention from charlotte, north carolina, every minute, every speech live here on c-span. next, live your calls and comments on washington journal. and the discussion of the use of the social media in the 2012 campaign. and live coverage of the 2012 presidential candidate, mitt romney at a rally in cincinnati.

>> i can only surmise, you know, in the movie, we rattle a lot of cages. >> i grabbed my cameraman and presented to be important. since i was sent to escort the security council back to the airport, i finagled my way on the the u.n. buses. the security council people seemed uptight. >> you know the song we sing all the way back to the airport. >> ♪ 99 bottles of beer on the wall 99 bottles of beer ♪ anybody? >> i was told there were u.n. peacekeeper peacekeepers who -- >> the french did know the crisis and here we have them fighting each other about how the u.n. will help to resolve -- >> sounds to me he's dodging the question. >> walked out of my apartment in the upper west side of manhattan, a comfortable place

to live. nothing particularly exciting happens there. came out and was greeted by a man who was waiting, nicely dressed, nice well made suit. waiting for me outside of my apartment. he said are you ami horowitz? my spiedy senses started to tingle a little bit. i said, yes i am. he said is this movie more important than your family. why does he make a film on u.n. waste. find out with ami horowitz at 8:00 on c-span's q&a. >> this morning, former shell company president john hoff meister discusses the state of oil companies and the presidential candidates' positions on oil. then thomas kiernan, the president of the parks association looks at the current conditions and budgets for the national parks. and later, joshua cla